The invention relates to a supporting profile for a system for erecting structures such as for fairs, exhibits or stores a generic system of this type is conventionally provided with longitudinally extending exterior grooves for connecting additional supporting profiles or structural parts of the construction system. In a core area, a receiving chamber for a turnbuckle is provided, being integrated into a first adapter piece which is inserted in guides pointing toward the interior of the supporting profile, and held axially by means of securing devices which are inserted in bores penetrating the guides.
A supporting profile of this type disclosed in German Patent Document DE-U 298 21 204 has a hollow profile, into which an adapter piece is in each case inserted and axially fastened on the faces. The adapter piece has axially extending chambers for receiving at least one turnbuckle which, in turn, can be utilized for fastening such supporting profiles on externally extending grooves of additional supporting profiles of the same or a similar type on the face side.
Supporting profiles of this type have a relatively low weight because they are provided with the adapter pieces only on their faces and otherwise remain hollow.
For fair and exhibition constructions, as well as for store constructions, it is often desirable to have structures are often desirable which require an angular arrangement of supporting profiles with respect to one another. This is not possible in the case of the supporting profile of the above-mentioned type. Other known supporting profiles also can not easily be used for the desired constructions.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to further develop supporting profiles of the initially mentioned type such that additional uses are possible or that well-designed further developments can be achieved.
To achieve this object, in the case of a supporting profile of the initially mentioned type, an end disk, which is adapted to the cross-section of the supporting profile, is provided on at least one open face of the supporting profile and is connected with the adapter piece. This results in a simple embodiment.
In a further development of the invention, the end disk may be constructed as a formed body with a concave recess which is adapted to the external curvature of a round profile. The face-side mutual connection of round profiles can take place in this manner without unattractive gaps and without the requirement of cumbersome work of inserting adapting pieces during the assembly. The end disks are fixedly disposed on the face of the assigned supporting profile. As a further development of this embodiment, the formed body may also be provided with a passage opening for guiding through a turnbuckle which will then permit the fastening of the supporting profile on the external grooves of another profile. The turnbuckle is axially held in the interior of the supporting profile by the initially mentioned adapter piece. It was found in this case that the turnbuckle can also be utilized for holding the end disk on the face of the supporting profile. When the turnbuckle is placed in an external groove of another profile, by means of this tensioning operation, the end disk is simultaneously also fixedly clamped in. Therefore, a separate fastening of the end disk on the face will only become necessary when the assigned supporting profile accommodates no turnbuckle.
As a further development of the invention, the end disk may also be provided with a joint part for connection with additional profiles. The joint part may include a disk which extends perpendicular to the end disk and has a center bore. The joint part may include a second disk which is connected with the first disk by means of a bolt acting as an axis of rotation and which is equipped with fastening devices for another profile. When the second disk is connected with another end disk, this embodiment will permit the joint-type joining of the faces of two supporting profiles.
As a further development of the invention, the second disk is provided with a clamping part for the insertion into one of the longitudinally extending grooves of another supporting profile allowing the articulated connection of a supporting profile to the longitudinal side of a first profile.
As a further development of the invention, in order to attractively cover the outside of the disks serving as a joint, hemispheres can be provided for the lateral covering of the disks. These hemispheres, as a further development of the invention, have a center bore with a thread and by means of this thread are screwable upon a thread at the ends of the bolt penetrating the disks.
The invention is illustrated in the drawing by means of embodiments and will be explained in the following.